Never, Ever, Have I Ever
by Rice Pips
Summary: A game leads to some unexpected developments for Janeway and Chakotay. I own nothing. The characters are not owned by me.


Never Ever, Have I Ever...

There's quite a buzz in the air on Voyager and it's all down to Tom Paris.

He's recently encouraged a new game in Sandrine's called, "Never Ever Have I Ever…". He'd heard about it whilst trawling through the archives of popular culture. He's decided to introduce it to the long evenings on Voyager.

It gets quite messy.

Tom is surprised at just how messy it gets. Members of the crew are dropping like flies thanks to the copious shots they've had to drink.

On one particularly eventful night, he leaps up onto a table and shouts, "You're all a bunch of dirty.." and promptly falls off the table and puts his back out.

The Doctor has to inform the Captain of her laid-up helmsman and the cause behind his misadventure.

Janeway is annoyed and amused in equal measures. She's always amused by Tom's antics, even when she has to reprimand him, she can't help but chuckle quietly to herself. She recounts the incident to Chakotay during their weekly dinner.

"Trust Tom to create a drinking game that ends up causing him the biggest injury!" she laughs, sipping at her large glass of Bergerac white.

"I don't think Mr Paris can lay claim to that game, Kathryn," Chakotay smiles. "It's a game as old as the hills!"

"Oh?" Kathryn asks. She sits back in her seat. "You sound familiar with the game. Something you'd care to share?"

Chakotay laughs, "Kathryn! Surely you played that game at the Academy? Or High School?"

Kathryn flushes, "I was probably too busy studying. I didn't really get into all the wild nightlife my peers engaged in."

Chakotay laughs loudly and takes a drink from his glass, "Now why am I not surprised?"

Kathryn scowls and drinks a large slug of wine. "And what do you mean by that, Commander?"

Chakotay puts his glass down, eyes sparkling, "Kathryn, I didn't mean anything. Just that you don't strike me as the sort to be out partying. I can imagine you studying to all hours instead. You're just the same now. Working instead of enjoying yourself."

"I'll have you know I can party," Kathryn bristles. "I just have too much on my mind out here to think about drinking my own body weight in alcohol!"

Chakotay sighs, "Kathryn, I know that. I didn't mean anything by it."

Kathryn takes another drink from her glass and refills it, adding more to Chakotay's as well.

"Alright, Chakotay, fill me in. What did I miss out on?"

Chakotay grins and takes another drink. "Are you sure you want to know? You might think very differently about me afterwards."

Kathryn laughs, "Hardly! I might be a boring workaholic, but I'm not too dull that I will be shocked by your tales."

Chakotay looks at her, his smile soft and sincere. "You are anything but dull and boring."

Kathryn feels a different flush rise to her neck and cheeks. She sips her wine, "Come on then, tell me everything."

Chakotay's eyes sparkle, "Maybe we should spice this up. You're never too old to play student games."

Kathryn frowns until the realisation dawns, "You mean, play that game?"

"Why not?" Chakotay asks.

In the back of her mind, Kathryn feels a warning alarm going off. This is dangerous territory for them both. Maybe it's the bottle of wine they've already drunk, or maybe it's Chakotay's good natured teasing, but, she quashes that alarm and smirks at him.

"Alright then. But, as you think I'm so dull, prepared to get very drunk," she says, eyes flashing with challenge.

Chakotay sighs, "Kathryn…"

"My turn. Never ever, have I ever….stolen something," she says quickly.

Chakotay laughs and takes a gulp of wine. "That was a rather unfair start, you know I've done that."

Kathryn smirks.

"And so have you, so drink up too, Kathryn."

Kathryn has to concede he has a point and takes a drink from her glass.

"Never ever have I ever….eaten meat," Chakotay says, eyes sparkling.

Kathryn huffs and takes another drink. "Now who's being unfair, Mr Vegetarian?"

Chakotay laughs and gives a cheeky shrug.

"So, you've never eaten any meat?"

Chakotay shakes his head, "No. I was just brought up to honour all animals. It's never crossed my mind."

Kathryn exhales, "I'm impressed. I couldn't do it myself, but, I am impressed."

"Your turn."

The game continues, both sharing snippets of their past whilst drinking another bottle of wine.

Kathryn then fetches a bottle of Malt Whiskey and they start on the harder stuff. They are quickly heading towards inebriated, but there is plenty of laughter and flirting.

"So, never ever, have I ever, had a one night stand," Kathryn says, flushing as the words leave her mouth.

Chakotay pauses, then raises his glass to his lips and swallows the whiskey shot.

Kathryn finds a pang grip her stomach at the thought of him with another woman.

"Never ever, have I ever, lived with someone I'm in a relationship with," he says.

Kathryn downs her drink and looks at him incredulously. "Really?"

"I've lived on the same ship, but never actually lived together." Chakotay explains.

Kathryn shrugs, "Well, by default I ended up living with Mark," she explains.

"Do you still love him?" Chakotay asks suddenly.

The question knocks Kathryn and she sits back, her mind whirring. The correct answer should be yes, but something makes her answer, "No."

Chakotay exhales loudly. "Sorry, that was out of order."

Kathryn shakes her head, "It's the truth. It's been so long now, he will have moved on. I guess in many ways, so have I. I'm not the person he knew. He'd probably not like me now."

"I doubt that," Chakotay says softly.

Kathryn falls quiet, lost in her own thoughts for a moment. With a sudden deep breath, she looks up.

"Never have I ever, danced the tango."

Chakotay looks up and grins.

"Neither have I. Fancy giving it a try?"

Kathryn laughs and nods. She calls to the computer to play a video of tango dancing and gets to her feet. She holds out her hand to him, which he happily accepts.

They laugh together as they clumsily stumble through the moves. Kathryn hooks her leg around his and grins.

"Never have I ever, kissed my first officer," she says with a cheeky smile.

"Neither have I," Chakotay laughs, dipping her backwards. "Never have I ever, kissed my Captain."

Kathryn looks up at him and her heart skips a beat. Somewhere in her mind, her reasonable side screams at her, but she answers with, "Let's change that."

She pulls herself back up onto her feet and leans up towards his waiting mouth. She presses her lips to his and suddenly the whole game changes. Their lips meet, deepening quickly and it's like a dam has broken. They can't get enough of each other.

It could be the drink, but deep down they both know this has been coming for a long time. It's Kathryn who makes the next move. She tugs his hand and leads him towards her bedroom. He asks no further questions, as always, where she goes, he follows.

There isn't enough alcohol in the whole Delta Quadrant to prevent them from knowing this was always meant to be.

Hours later, their naked bodies entwined amongst the sheets, Kathryn looks up at him.

"Never, have I ever, slept with my First Officer," she grins.

"Never, have I ever, slept with my Captain," he retorts.

"Do you still think I'm dull?" she asks.

Chakotay's laugh is long and rich, "Kathryn, I could never describe you as that!"

"I guess I've just spiced up my workaholic life!"

Chakotay looks down at her, his heart bursting with love for the woman in his arms.

"I guess you can also tick off the one night stand," he says, sadness entering his voice.

"I don't think so," Kathryn scoffs, "But, you can tick off living with someone."

"You mean?"

"Chakotay, I don't do one night stands. It's not me."

"You know how I feel, don't you?"

"I hope I do."

"I love you. I have for a long time."

"Chakotay….I love you too."

Kathryn leans up and kisses him soundly on the mouth, "I think I always have."

"Stop talking, Kathryn," Chakotay murmurs, rolling her onto her back.

After that, no words needed to be spoken. Their bodies did all the talking.i


End file.
